Topchinatrip: August 2010

Monday, August 30, 2010

The inside info on China’s ancient watchtowers

The ancient watchtowers of the Qiang people in western Sichuan are no secret; they’re in the China Lonely Planet, for a start. But what I wasn’t expecting when I visited the village of Suopo (梭坡), where there’s a large cluster of these fascinating stone structures, was to be able to climb up inside one of them – from the rooftop of a local family home.

As I clambered up the hillside beside Suopo, a one-hour walk along the Dadu River from the small town of Danba (丹巴), a young guy came up to me and asked where I was going (as if he didn’t know). ‘The watchtowers,’ I replied, predictably. ‘I know one you can climb up. Do you want to see?’ he asked. Intrigued, I followed him past village homes and three or four of these surreal-looking towers.

Ranging in height from 20m to 60m, the towers, which go back around 1000 years, had a number of uses (a store for valuable goods, a place of worship), but mostly they were used as warning beacons to help protect local villages from would-be attackers. Inside, they had a number of levels, accessed from a window some metres above ground from which a ladder would be sent down to people who were authorised to enter. Unlike the main stone structure of the towers, the inside levels were made of wood and have since rotted away, leaving a simple hollow stone tower.

But one enterprising family, whose traditional three-storey stone house sits next to a 700-year-old tower, has rebuilt the inside levels, added a few wooden ladders and now lets visitors climb up the tower from their roof; for a modest fee, of course (Y15).

Their typical Qiang home had a half-open basement for livestock (30 bleating goats in this case), a ground-floor living area and a top floor used for storing grain, drying crops…and accessing ancient watchtowers.

Once inside the tower, we climbed neat little ladders made from tree trunks, with wedged steps cut into them, up six or seven levels to the roof. Climbing the tower was cool in itself; you could still make out part of the now disintegrated original wooden levels. But the best bit was reaching the roof and being able to look down on the other magnificent towers below, nestled incongruously among village homes, which these days watch over nothing more dangerous than spectacular mountain scenery.

China’s top 10 Sichuan teahouses

Nobody does tea better than the Chinese. And nowhere is China’s tea culture better represented than in Sichuan province. But there seems to be more teahouses here than leaves in a cup of jasmine, so to help you decide which ones to visit, here are my top 10 Sichuan teahouses.

I’m pretty confident I’ve nailed the best ones, but if you’ve found any gems I’ve missed, please chip in.

1. Wangye Temple, Zigong

Zigong, the one-time salt-mining capital of China, is also the king of Sichuan teahouses, and its jewel in the crown is housed within the ochre-coloured walls of this 100-year-old temple. Perched above the Fuxi River, Wangye was built to ensure safe passage for boats transporting salt downstream. No longer an active temple, it’s now the perfect hangout for salt-of-the-earth locals who come here for tea, banter, card games and a great river view.

2. Huanhou Palace, Zigong

Zigong does it again with this fabulous teahouse located inside an 1868 butcher’s guildhall. No river views with this one, but the hugely imposing stone facade has to be the most dramatic entrance to any teahouse in China. Step inside and you’ll find seating in a tree-filled, open-air courtyard bordered by intricate stone carvings, wooden beams and a charming old stone stage.

3. Heming Teahouse, People’s Park, Chengdu

As Sichuan’s capital city, Chengdu naturally has its fair share of wonderful teahouses. This one, in the city’s most central park, is perfect people-watching material. Many locals, particularly elderly ones, seem to spend all day everyday here, sitting by the small lake, sipping tea while they play cards, gossip, have their hair cut or even have their earwax removed! Y10 (US$1.5) per ear, in case you were wondering.

4. Any teahouse by the river, Pingle

Not one single teahouse, but a whole row of them, all lined up along the riverside in the ancient town of Pingle. Art students flock here to paint the scenery, and for good reason; it’s gorgeous. Order a pot of China’s finest and sit beside a wooden Ming dynasty building while you watch other tourists punt their way along the river on bamboo rafts.

5. Tibetan Restaurant, Ganzi

About a third of Sichuan lies across grasslands and mountains rising up towards the Tibetan plateau, and much of what you find in the west of the province is more Tibetan than Chinese… including the teahouses. Tibetan Restaurant is actually a teahouse in disguise. Although it does food – in this case excellent food – for most of the day its prime purpose is to serve gossip-hungry Tibetans their daily fix of yak-butter tea. Staff members are wonderful and the decor – a riot of golds, reds and blues – shows you that this is Tibet in all but name.

6. Tibetan Culture Dew, Kangding

Kangding isn’t quite as deep into Tibetan territory as Ganzi, but this is still a great place to hang out with yak-butter-tea-sipping locals. The outside of the building is distinctly Chinese (think white-tiled housing block), but inside is more rustic, with stone walls and wood beams decorated in colourful Tibetan prayer flags. There are all sorts of tea if you don’t like the yak-butter variety, plus coffee and beer. And the menu is in English.

7. Yingyue Tea Garden, Songpan

A change of scene here at Yingyue, or Moon Reflection Tea Garden, as you sit in a bamboo chair overlooking the river that runs through the north Sichuan village of Songpan. This is mahjong territory, and locals sit in fours around tables playing the ancient Chinese game until…well, until they can see the moon reflected in their cups of tea.

8. Shangqing Temple, Qingcheng Shan

The lush, forested mountain known as Qingcheng Shan has been a Taoist retreat for more than 2000 years and right near the top, in amongst the trees, is Shangqing Temple, a Qing dynasty rebuild of the original Jin dynasty temple. The temple is still active, but monks here welcome guests to eat in their small restaurant or enjoy a brew in their lovely little teahouse. You’d be hard pushed to find more peaceful tea-sipping surroundings.

9. Yuelai Teahouse, Chengdu

Adjoining Jinjiang Theatre – the best place in Chengdu to watch Sichuan Opera – Yuelai is just an ordinary teahouse for most of the week, but it comes into its own on Saturday afternoons when it holds intimate opera performances on its small stage. Tickets for shows at the theatre can set you back Y260 (US$40), but at Yuelai Teahouse you can watch Sichuan Opera for Y20 (US$3).

10. River Viewing Pavilion Park, Chengdu

This little-known park near Sichuan University is dedicated to the celebrated Tang dynasty poet Xue Tao. It is also known for its bamboo, and features over 150 varieties, from bonsai-sized potted plants to towering giants that create comfortable shaded areas for the tea gardens here. Tea and bamboo: it doesn’t get more Chinese than that.

Hong Kong, the birthplace of modern dragons

Hong Kong has taken an ancient ceremony in China and turned it into one of the world’s fastest growing sports. Modern dragonboat racing, with its mesmerising blend of sport and tradition, is practised in over 60 countries. But it is best experienced in Hong Kong where you can still feel the passion that once drove this city to share its culture with the world.

What are dragon boats?

Dragonboats are long slim boats with a dragon’s head protruding from the bow and a dragon’s tail affixed to the stern. They’re powered by two rows of paddlers, with a helmsman in the back, and a drummer in the front or middle. Traditionally they’re made of wood – and wooden boats are still used in 90% of Hong Kong’s races – but the fibre-glass vessels used in the West are becoming common. They come in three sizes: 22-crew vessels used in international races; small boats accommodating 12 riders; and ‘big dragons’, that interesting species.

Taboo

Traditionally, dragonboat is an all-male activity. Women, especially when pregnant or menstruating, were forbidden to touch a dragon, the symbol of male vigour. But now with over 50 million people worldwide involved in the game, mindsets have been changing. Since 1985, races in Hong Kong have included women’s and mixed events. That said, machismo is all but dead. Try patting the dragon’s head on a big boat (if you’re a woman), and you’ll see. ‘Big dragons’ carry 50 strapping fellows and can fit up to 120. They’re proudly paraded at races, jealously guarded off-season, and oiled, repaired and fussed over – exclusively by men – before the racing season.

History

Dragonboat originated over 2000 years ago in China as a ceremony for worshipping deities of the sea. It’s associated with the Tuen Ng Festival which is celebrated in late spring when disease and flooding were once rampant. Dragonboating was meant to dispel the ‘fog and filthy air’ and to keep the gods happy. But that’s the researcher’s version.

Ask any Chinese about the origin of dragonboat and they’ll mention Qu Yuan, a loyal statesman who drowned himself in the river. Worried that fish would consume their hero, the people unleashed their boats and threw rice dumplings (now a festive delicacy) into the water to distract them. Since then races have been held every year to honour the day of Qu’s passing – on the fifth day of the fifth month on the Lunar calendar (late-May to June). Though other figures have been commemorated by the festival, Qu’s patriotic story has prevailed.

Dragonboat spread all over China, in particular to the south, where it remained a fishermen’s game and ceremony for many years.

The modern era

Then in 1976, it all changed. Hong Kong held the world’s first international dragonboat races, and propelled the game into a new era. In the first year, boaters from Japan competed with nine local fishermen’s teams. In the next two, representatives from Malaysia and Singapore joined the event. Soon competitions were being organized in these countries as well as in Australia and Canada. In 1980, three dragonboats from Hong Kong made their debut on the River Thames. Today dragonboat is a mainstream sport in Hong Kong. The city has the greatest number of teams (about 400), all non-paid and voluntary, and the most races (over 20 a year) in the world per square metre. And the 10-boat wonder that started it all in 1976 is now a mega event featuring 200 teams.

What’s so fascinating about dragonboats? They’re pure heritage. Never used for transport or war, unlike canoes and sailboats, they’ve hardly changed over the centuries. Imagine then such a boat, blades plunging fast and furious, hundreds of times over to the throb of a drum. It’s the lure of the primordial, something rare in modern-day sports.

Races

The most spectacular events during Hong Kong’s racing season (March to October) are the fishermen’s races from late-April to May, especially the Tin Hau regatta held on sleepy Po Toi Island. You’ll see fishing junks moored in the harbour, decked out with flags, and people cheering, drinking and casting paper offerings into the water. Overlooking this on a cliff is a bamboo theatre where Cantonese opera is performed for the gods, and nearby is a temple where fishermen go to pay their respects. At sundown, all is quiet again as the junks leave with their dragons secured to their sides, the way they had for years before the world knew about dragonboat.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Beijing Attractions & Sightseeing

Beijing, a city enjoys history of more than 3,000 years and used as a capital city for more than 1,000 years. The city gathers more than 1,000 tourist attractions at present. These attractions could be divided into several categories: Parks and Gardens, Museums, Temples, Mountains, Mosque,..etc. Here we list some of famous Beijing attractions in different categories.

Visitors to Beijing will have to plan their sightseeing carefully as there is a lot to pack in here. The expansive city is home to some of China's most iconic tourist attractions, each deserving of a visit. At the centre of Beijing lies the Forbidden City, with its once-hidden charms bordered by Tiananmen Square, Mao Zedong Mausoleum, the Great Hall of the People and the Monument of the People's Heroes.

Stunning temples and palaces dot the city, many of significant historical importance, with the Temple of Heaven living up to its name. On the outskirts of Beijing is the Great Wall, one of China's most visited attractions and its biggest architectural achievement. Below are the city's premier tourist attractions.

Beijing Tourist Attractions: Further Great Wall of China pictureBeijing Attractions: Great Wall of China

Located to the north of the city, the Great Wall of China is one of the country's top tourist attractions and world's greatest architectural achievements, stretching from east to west for over 5,000 km / 3,100 miles. Construction of the wall began in the 7th century BC, when independent kingdoms took measures to protect their territories from wandering nomads. During the Qin Dynasty (221 BC to 207 BC), many sections of wall were connected, with development of the Great Wall continuing for several more centuries. The Great Wall is one of the most visited attractions in the whole of China and stretches from the Liaoning Province right up to Jiayùguan, which is part of the vast Gobi Desert. Also known as either 'The Long Wall of 10,000 Li' or simply 'Chángchéng', many visitors staying in Beijing head around 70 km / 44 miles to the Badáling stretch, which is believed to date back to the 14th century, during the Ming Dynasty. The scenery and views alone are worth the trip, as are the cable cars, the China Great Wall Museum and the Great Wall Circle Vision Theatre.

Beijing tourist attraction open: daily, summer - 06:00 to 22:00, winter - 07:00 to 18:00